NYRA Photo

Monday’s Cross Country Pick 5 features action from Belmont Park and Churchill Downs

by Ryan Martin

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 on Monday featuring stakes from Churchill Downs and the Big Apple Showcase Day card at Belmont Park.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/cross-country-wagers.

The sequence begins in Churchill Downs’ seventh race at 3:50 p.m. where a field of 10 will contest a seven-furlong allowance over the main track. Rigney Racing’s Angkor will make his first start since finishing a close second on November 3 at Churchill for trainer Phil Bauer. A C Expressway, trained by Norm Casse, was made the lukewarm 7-2 morning line favorite. The 4-year-old son of Mineshaft was a distant eighth in the restricted Knicks Go on the Kentucky Derby undercard last out.

Action shifts to beautiful Belmont Park for the second leg, the $125,000 Bouwerie [Race 7, 4:06 p.m.] for 3-year-old New York-bred fillies going seven furlongs on the main track. Dream Maker Racing’s three-time stakes winner Yo Cuz will attempt to make amends following an uncharacteristic fourth in the NYSSS Park Avenue on April 24 at the Big A. The daughter of Laoban secured all three stakes victories at Aqueduct, garnering career earnings just shy of $400,000. Steep opposition will be provided by Mark T. Anderson’s Sterling Silver, who enters off a distant fifth in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland.

The middle leg will see graded stakes action in Churchill Downs’ Grade 3, $200,000 Winning Colors [Race 8, 4:22 p.m.], a six-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares. Lloyd Madison Farms IV’s reigning Winning Colors victress Sconsin, trained by Greg Foley, will make her first start since capturing the Open Mind at the Louisville oval in September. Sconsin will square off against the John Ortiz-trained pair of Joyful Cadence and Novel Squall.

The penultimate leg, the $125,000 Mike Lee [Race 8, 4:40 p.m.] at seven furlongs over the Belmont main track, will see a field of nine 3-year-old New York-breds seek stakes glory. Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Best Idea, favored in all three of his starts, will cut back in distance from a runner-up effort in a 1 1/16-mile allowance on May 1 at Belmont. Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the son of Honor Code was a sharp winner on debut in February going six furlongs at Aqueduct. William J. Butler’s Rotknee returns to the Empire State following a distant seventh over Turfway Park’s all-weather surface in the Animal Kingdom in April. The son of Runhappy captured his third career win in the seven-furlong Damon Runyon one month earlier at Aqueduct.

Two New York-bred millionaires trained by Mike Maker will face off as the curtains close on the sequence in the $125,000 Kingston [Race 9, 5:12 p.m.] for 4-year-olds and upward going 1 1/16 miles over Belmont’s inner turf. Three Diamonds Farm’s Cross Border has won the last two editions of the Grade 2 Bowling Green at Saratoga while boasting three Grade 1 placings.

Somelikeithotbrown, owned by Sand Dollar Stables and Hot Pink Stables, will make his first start of the year. The son of Big Brown made his last effort a winning one when taking Belmont’s Mohawk in November, a race he also won in 2020. Trainer Barclay Tagg will saddle open company stakes winner Step Dancer. The 4-year-old War Dancer colt captured the Awad at Belmont during his 2-year-old season and won last year’s NYSSS Cab Calloway at Saratoga. 

America’s Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont Park, and the best way to bet every race of the spring/summer meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Monday, May 30:

Leg A: Churchill Downs – Race 7, allowance (3:50 p.m. Eastern)

Leg B: Belmont Park – Race 7, $125,000 Bouwerie (4:06 p.m.)

Leg C: Churchill Downs – Race 8, Grade 3 Winning Colors (4:22 p.m.)

Leg D: Belmont Park – Race 8, $125,000 Mike Lee (4:40 p.m.)

Leg E: Belmont Park – Race 9, $125,000 Kingston (5:12 p.m.)